The legislator comes from a long line of equality fighters and continues that legacy to better the lives of others
By Morgan Cartier Weston | Photography by Anna Carson Dewitt
Sen. Natalie Murdock is, first and foremost, an advocate. “As a legislator, I think about the people who don’t have the time or ability to stand up for themselves,” she says. “I am representing and fighting for tens of thousands of people across the state.”
Natalie comes from a long lineage of equality fighters in North Carolina. Growing up in Greensboro, she had strong female role models in both her mother, Christine Murdock, and her grandmother, Dorothy Lee Murdock, who was a cafeteria worker in Guilford County. “In the 1960s, she participated in the march surrounding the Woolworth’s sit-in,” Natalie says. “She also led a strike for equal pay for workers of color in the cafeteria. I often wonder if she was scared – her bravery to stand up for what she believed in, all while going months without pay and knowing she could have been fired, continues to inspire me.”
Natalie’s mother is a nurse. “I am really passionate about health care and public health in large part because of my mom,” Natalie says. “I serve on the joint legislative oversight committee on health and human services and will be filing bills this session around health equity for our state.”
When she’s having an especially hard day, Natalie says she thinks of her ancestors, who were enslaved people in Orange County in the 1800s. “Just one county over, they lived and worked without the right to choose, or even think about, what they wanted to do with their day,” Natalie says. “Durham is where I really found and honed my voice as a politician, in finding a love for this city and its people. I am so grateful to be representing this community that has welcomed me, as one of 50 senators elected to do this job. It is an honor and a privilege.”
The initial vision for state legislative roles was for them to be part time (senators only make $13,900 per year). “Though it is technically a part-time role, there is seldom a day I don’t do something in the legislative space, whether it is responding to constituents or attending events on weekdays and weekends, it is a 24/7 job,” Natalie says. “My goal is to get up each morning around 5 or 6 a.m. to exercise, then I begin my consulting work.”
Depending on the time of year, Natalie spends the rest of her morning attending legislative or committee meetings. “The issues are so varied – we may be meeting with farmers, those in the energy sector, advocates for voting rights or seniors in need of funding for their programs,” Natalie explains. She also speaks to local students and educators, often with a focus on social work and mental health issues. “There is no topic we don’t touch.”
Her days are usually 12 to 14 hours long, especially during bill drafting season. “No one works in a vacuum,” Natalie explains. “We may be getting input from a local nonprofit or other constituents. Sometimes we don’t have time for lunch or we have a late dinner, but you get into a groove where you just say, ‘All right, what’s next?’”
Natalie hopes more women choose to enter into public service, like she did in 2020. “The first time I was asked to run, it was by then Buncombe County Commissioner Holly Jones,” Natalie says. “She was really encouraging women to get out there and run,” Natalie says. She was sworn in on April 2, 2020, becoming the first Black woman under the age of 40 to serve as a North Carolina senator, and ran a successful reelection campaign in 2022.
“Women get things done,” Natalie says. “We are multitaskers and leaders by nature. In my caucus, there are many women with school-aged children; who better to chime in on issues related to early childhood education than parents?”
Prior to her senate run, Natalie earned her undergraduate degree in political science and communication studies from UNC and went on to work in various public service roles focused on transportation, economic development and city planning in Asheville and Chapel Hill. Some of her early political work was for Terry Bellamy, who was elected Asheville’s first Black mayor in 2005.
“Communications roles for organizations like GoTriangle and the NC Department of Justice have really helped prepare me for serving in the General Assembly, particularly the ability to translate legal jargon and complex issues into language everyone can feel invited to engage with,” Natalie says.
Those not interested in running for office, Natalie adds, can join a board or committee. “It takes persistence and resilience, but there are so many opportunities to help build a better democracy for everyone in our communities,” she says.
When she isn’t busy supporting her constituents or consulting clients, Natalie considers herself a foodie and enjoys trying locally owned restaurants, both in Durham (Nosh, Sushi Love, Rue Cler and Toast are a handful of her favorites) and on her travels. Some memorable trips include visiting Scotland for the United Nations Climate Change Conference in 2021 and, more recently, attending the 58th Anniversary Jubilee in Selma, Alabama, to commemorate the events that led to the passage of the Voting Rights Act. “I never expected to get to do things like this and have these amazing, meaningful experiences,” she says. Once this legislative session wraps in August, Natalie plans to spend time in nature and try her hand at some art projects and new recipes.
“I’m honored to represent Durham and its uniqueness and be part of charting our path forward,” she says. “There’s a reason other cities are trying to replicate what we have. The future of Durham is bright, and I look forward to maintaining more of what we know and love.”
